


Dark Blue

by optimus_pam



Series: Splashes of Color [5]
Category: Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: Day Five: Blue, District Four AU, Everlark as Odesta, F/M, Peeta's Paint Box, Prompts in Panem
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-07
Updated: 2014-10-07
Packaged: 2018-02-20 05:33:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2416742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/optimus_pam/pseuds/optimus_pam
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Day Five: Blue.<br/>Inspired by the song "Dark Blue" by my favorite artist, Jack's Mannequin.<br/>Katniss Everdeen won the 70th Hunger Games because she was the best swimmer. But she never truly escaped the feel of drowning. (Everlark as Odesta).</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dark Blue

" _This flood is slowly rising up swallowing the ground_

_Beneath my feet, tell me how anybody thinks under this condition so_  
 _I'll swim as the water rises up, the sun is sinking down…_  
 _This night's a perfect shade of dark blue_  
 _Have you ever been alone in a crowded room when I'm here with you  
_ _I said the world could be burning 'til there's nothing but dark blue…"_

The first thing Katniss Everdeen saw when she awoke after winning the 70th Hunger Games were the deep blue eyes of her mentor, Peeta Mellark.

Her heartbeat spiked as she lost herself in the indigo irises. Machines and monitors beeped loudly in her recovery room as wave after wave of memory assaulted her. She could hear the dam breaking, feel the thunderous crash of waves all around, see the seemingly endless supply of dark blue water engulf the arena and all the tributes within.

They quickly sedated her, a practice which would grow tiresome in the weeks after her victory. Whenever the fear became too much and her nerves overtook her, a Capitol attendant with a syringe would soon appear.

They would only bother through her Victory Tour though, at least that's what they told her. She imagined once her duties as a victor were fulfilled she could fade into oblivion, the broken, sad girl from District Four who lost her mind.

The only times she could avoid the drugs on the tour, the only person who could calm her down was her mentor, Peeta. Besides that first day waking after the Games, she found her mentor had a calming effect on her. Often her mind felt like it was being tossed about in a raging storm but Peeta, with his warm and gentle demeanor, made Katniss feel like she was wading in still waters.

He approached her on the final night of her Victory Tour. The reception was held on one of District Four's many piers. Rounded light bulbs were strung like stars up and down the way. A long table with a sea foam tablecloth was decorated with every delicacy imaginable: clams and muscles bathed in a white wine sauce, lobster drenched in butter, crab fresh from the sea dressed with lemon. Katniss dully eyed all the food that was once the stuff her dreams were made of. In leaner years, after her father died in a tragic fishing boat accident, there were times when she and her sister Prim had nothing but a can of tuna to split between them.

She had been staring at the food, unmoving for too long when Peeta approached her. She did that frequently, got lost in some corner of her mind and it often disconcerted people, but usually someone, like her sister Prim or Peeta if he was around, would bring her back to herself.

"Sugar cube?" He asked, holding out a palmful of the sweets.

"No, thank you," she replied quietly.

"You don't seem to be enjoying yourself, this party's for you after all."

"Do you enjoy the Capitol parties President Snow throws in your honor?" She asked, a challenge in her gray eyes.

"No," he gulped. "Come on," he said reaching out his hand. "Take a walk with me."

Katniss hesitantly accepted her mentor's hand. He guided her away from the party and down to the beach.

The water was inky black in the dark of night, except for the frosted white tips of waves breaking against the shore.

They were quiet for much of their walk. Katniss had never been a great conversationalist and that certainly hadn't improved since the games. But she enjoyed the silence. Instead she focused on the salty sea air and the feel of sand beneath her bare feet.

Peeta eventually came to a stop and sat in the sand, not caring about his tuxedo. Katniss joined him, tucking the skirt of her silver dress beneath her.

He looked out into the ocean, the color of which was so much like his eyes.

"You don't swim anymore."

Katniss blinked. "What?"

He looked at her intently, almost accusingly. "You stopped swimming, didn't you?"

Katniss felt the tide of anxiety rising, could feel her chest tightening, her heart beating faster, her breath coming shorter until Peeta took her face between his hands, forcing her to meet his gaze.

"Breathe Katniss. It's alright. Just breathe." He took in deep steadying breaths and guided her to do the same until she felt her pulse steady.

Peeta's warm hands were still on her cheeks when he spoke again. "Don't let him take this from you too."

She lowered her eyes. "I don't- I don't know what you mean."

"I remember you Katniss Everdeen. I remember the first day of school when the teacher took us to the cove and asked who know how to swim and your hand shot in the air. You swam that day, so carefree and graceful in the water and it was beautiful. I've seen you Katniss, you're like a mermaid. Like the enchanting sea creatures they tell bedtime stories about. Don't let him take that from you."

Tears were streaming down her face. She looked out to the ocean waters and then into his ocean blue eyes.

"I want to, Peeta, but I can't. Every time I try it's like the arena all over again. I hear that horrible cracking noise the dam made and the panic overwhelms me and I feel like I'm going to drown," she cried. "I just can't do it."

"But you can, Katniss, I swear it." A sudden look came over Peeta's face. He shot to his feet and quickly shucked off his jacket, before attacking the buttons of his white dress shirt. Katniss blushed when he unzipped his trousers.

She looked up at him, standing in the moonlight in just his undershorts. He looked like the marble statue of Poseidon they had outside their Justice Building. All the power of the sea contained within his rippling muscles. He truly was the most beautiful man in Panem.

And the most beautiful man in Panem was standing before her half-naked, his hand extended in invitation. She accepted and he pulled her to her feet.

Her turned her around and slowly, carefully untied the complicated knots at the back of nautical-themed her dress.

"Come on Katniss," he whispered in her ear. "Join me for a midnight swim."

If his tone had been mocking or seductive, she would have run away as fast her legs could carry her but when she looked at his face, all she saw was a plea for trust.

And Katniss realized, as she carefully slid the silk garment from her body, that she did trust him. Perhaps more than anyone else in the whole world.

So she let him take her hand and guide her into the water. They swam like sea creatures of legend, diving and resurfacing with graceful ease. Eventually Katniss found herself in Peeta's arms, looking into his eyes. The whole world was dark blue just before he kissed her. And for once, as he stole the breath from her lungs, drowning didn't feel like a bad thing.


End file.
